


Carols By Candlelight

by aurora_australis, PhryneFicathon



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-18 14:16:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13101918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurora_australis/pseuds/aurora_australis, https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhryneFicathon/pseuds/PhryneFicathon
Summary: Music and memories on a park bench one Christmas Eve. Fluffier than angst. Angstier than fluff.From the prompt, “Mr Butler and Aunt Prudence”





	Carols By Candlelight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Inzannatea (Zanna23)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zanna23/gifts).



> A Christmassy sneak peek to the third Phryne Ficathon Exchange, which will begin posting in earnest on January first! I hope to see you all there, there are some absolute _delights_ headed our way. --Fire_Sign, ficathon moderator

The entrance to the Alexandra Gardens loomed large in front of her, and all around her people were heading towards it, but Prudence Stanley would not be moved. She stood perfectly still as a throng of individuals flowed past her on either side, like a boulder in a river, forcing the flow around her.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered under her breath. “Just go in already.”

But still she remained fixed outside.

The river of people continued to flow around her.

“Absolutely ridiculous,” she repeated to herself after another minute. “You are Prudence Stanley and you _do not_ _dither_. And if Albert were here, he’d tell you the same thing.”

But he wasn’t there of course. He was in Adelaide visiting his recently widowed sister. Cecil and his wife were with her family in Ballarat. Phryne and her Inspector were off in the outback somewhere chasing down some suspect or another (really at her age!). Guy and Isabella were back in England. Even Dr. MacMillan was off at a medical conference in Sydney, along with young Jane.

And so, for the first time in her life, Prudence Stanley found herself alone, with no friends or family to spend the Christmas holiday. She had already decided she would spend the extra time to herself going over the household accounts one more time, because really it’s just a day like any other, when she had heard Norman Banks’ story on the wireless. Walking home on Christmas Eve the previous year, he had seen an elderly woman through her window, singing along to Away in a Manger on the radio. Wondering how many others spent Christmas alone, he had the idea to gather a large group of people to all sing Christmas carols together by candlelight. Which is why Prudence Stanley - she who did not dither - found herself outside the Alexandra Gardens on Christmas Eve 1938, with about 10,000 other people.

Strangely, she still felt alone.

Deciding the whole thing was nonsense, she turned around suddenly to head back towards the main street when she smacked right into a familiar black suit.

“Oof!”

“I beg your pardon madam, I - Mrs. Stanley?”

“Mr. Butler! What brings you here?”

“Mostly momentum from the crowd it seems.” He accidently bumped into her as someone accidently bumped into him. “Would you care to join me for a reprieve on that bench?

“Oh, I - well, yes. I would rather like to stop being jostled for a moment or two.”

With some difficulty, the pair finally made their way over to a small bench off to the side where they could see the crowd without being swept up by it. They watched silently for a moment or two before Mr. Butler spoke again.

“It’s odd, you know, spending Christmas alone. I don’t think I’ve been alone at Wardlow since the day Miss Fisher hired me. And it seems especially odd during the holidays.”

“Where is Mrs. Collins? I assumed you would be with her and her family.”

“Ordinarily yes, but unfortunately it seems Sergeant Collins and two of the children are ill. She’s quarantined everyone at home until they recover.”

“Oh dear, I do hope it’s not serious.”

“No, I don’t believe so.” He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Actually, I suspect it’s more of a way to avoid her mother-in-law. Though I could be wrong.”

Prudence laughed at that, which surprised them both.

“I’m sorry, I’m just thinking of my own mother-in-law. Mother Stanley. She didn’t care for me, at least at first. At the time I took it very personally, though in retrospect I doubt anyone would have been good enough for her Edward. Do you know, our very first Christmas as husband and wife, we hosted a holiday dinner and when she arrived I discovered she’d _brought her own roast_! Complete with trimmings! Can you imagine? I had spent weeks making sure every detail was perfect and she arrived with an entire course as though I had no idea what I was doing. I was mortified, but Edward was very sweet about it. He thanked his mother for the luncheon she had so considerately brought us for Boxing Day and promptly stored it in the ice box.” Prudence huffed. “He should have stored it on the rim of her nose, the looks she shot me all day were so cold.”

Mr. Butler chuckled, both at her story and her uncharacteristic candor. “Did she ever warm to you?”

“Yes, actually.”

“What happened?”

“Arthur.” Prudence gave a small sad smile. “We both adored him you see, and she...well she supported my decision to keep him home with us. After that, we were rather fierce allies. Edward called us “The Battalion”, and said he pitied anyone who crossed us.” Suddenly feeling very exposed, Prudence decided to quickly change the focus of the conversation. “And what about you, Mr. Butler, did you get along with your mother-in-law?”

“I did, actually. My wife’s mother, Mrs. Anderson, was a widow and she and Aurelia - my wife - were very close. So I decided early on that the best way to woo Aurelia was to also woo her mother.” It wasn’t until he stopped speaking that he realized how long it had been since he had called his wife by her first name. 

“I see. And just how did you do that?”

“I decided to make myself useful to the household. I did all kinds of odd jobs - reposted a loose fence post, mended the rail, repaired the front step, that sort of thing. There were actually a great many little things that needed fixing around the house so I was able to be useful quite often. And it gave me an opportunity to spend more time with Aurelia while I worked. I thought I was terribly clever. And that the ladies could have treated the house a bit better.”

“Well it must have worked for you.”

“Actually, as it turns out, Mrs. Anderson was fond of me and had decided I was a good match for Aurelia all on her own. I discovered this one afternoon when I found her purposefully loosening the leg on the kitchen table. You see, she was breaking things just so I’d have a reason to stay and fix them! So I suppose it did work after all; Aurelia and I were engaged within the year, with her mother’s enthusiastic blessing. Our first Christmas together, Mrs. Anderson gave me a new wrench to aid me in my repairs. The following year I gave her a new hammer to aid her in her destruction. We traded tools back and forth like that for years. Aurelia thought we were mad.”

“I would think eventually you would run out of tools.”

“Perhaps we would have. We stopped on our own, though, the year Mrs. Butler died. It was...too much to remember how it started I suppose. But we did continue to spend the holiday together until shortly before I started working for Miss Fisher. I’m afraid formidable as Mrs. Anderson was the years eventually caught up with her.”

“Yes, they do have a way of doing that, don’t they?” Prudence paused for a moment before continuing, somewhat hesitantly. “I’m very sorry. You must miss them terribly.”

“I do. But I also loved them wonderfully. I’ll take the one for the other any day.”

Prudence nodded in agreement with the sentiment.

They sat quietly for a few more minutes, watching the crowds pass by.

Suddenly Prudence spoke. “Am I keeping you? I assume you’re here for the carols. I would hate for you to miss them on my account.”

“Not at all. I’m here for the promise of company. I’m pleased to say I seem to have found some.”

“Yes.” Prudence sighed. “It seemed like such a nice idea. Singing carols together. I’m not sure I’m going to stay though.”

“If I may ask, what changed your mind.”

“I realized I don’t know what carols they are going to play.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

Prudence glanced at him, uncertain how much to reveal. She realized with a start she’d known the man for almost a decade. And they _had_ been through quite a lot together. She decided perhaps being held hostage together in Phryne’s parlour gave them a special bond and decided to just be honest. “I don’t like carols you see. Well not all of them, of course, just some. Well one. The Twelve Days of Christmas. I hate it. For...personal reasons. And I’m just a little, _concerned_ , how I might react when they play it. _If_ they play it. Which I realize is absurd,but there you have it.”

“Ah. Well to tell the truth, Mrs. Stanley, I’m not overly fond of that one myself.”

“Oh?”

“Oh yes. As a butler the thought of all those birds in the house, the _mess_...well, suffice to say it’s a song which fills the heart of anyone in service with anxiety.”

“I hadn’t considered that.”

“Clearly neither did the true love gift-giver or he would have at least sent a tarp with the birds,” he said with a wink.

Once again Prudence laughed, and was happy to discover they were both less surprised this time. She made another decision.

“Well, Mr. Butler,” she said, standing, “suppose we brave the foul fowl together. What do you say?”

“That sounds like an excellent idea, Mrs. Stanley.” He stood as well and offered her his arm. She took it, squaring her shoulders and decidedly not dithering. As they began to walk towards the entrance, he continued, “and, if it’s not too bold, I did prepare quite a lot of food before the Collins Family became ill, and I don’t think all of it will keep. I’m sure you have other plans, but if you’d like to join me, I’d welcome the company.”

Prudence knew she should be shocked, her niece's butler inviting her to Warlow like he owned the place. She was shocked to find all she was was pleased.

“Thank you. I might just do that. It’s been an age, you know, since I had Christmas dinner with a…”, she struggled to find the right word. Again, she settled on what felt honest, “friend.”

Mr. Butler smiled as they continued walking towards the entrance.

“I hope you enjoy the menu I’ve planned. If nothing else, I make an excellent flummery.”

“Don’t worry,” she said, “I’ll bring my own roast.” 

Mr. Butler chuckled as they entered the gardens, just as the opening bars of Away in a Manger began to play.

**Author's Note:**

> Historical trivia (which is kinda my thing)! Carols by Candlelight is an annual Australian Christmas tradition that was popularized in Melbourne in 1938. The tradition has since spread around the world. --aurora_australis


End file.
